Executive Care Inc.

PDF – Design Elements: Pt. 2 – Lighting

Welcome to our April story and Part II of Design Elements. For those of you who did not read March’s magazine please go to my website (under publications) and read Part I on hardscapes. In brief review, last month we discussed design elements as they pertain to hardscapes (cement, flagstone and pathways), small retaining walls and using pottery to get instant size when the landscape is already mature. A statement I made was that design elements are only limited by one’s imagination and the theme of the landscape. If we keep the theme in mind, and a comment that a client shared with me in discussing her tastes, “less is better,” which in context is a caution that over doing design elements can actually detract from the landscape. We want to stay away from a cluttered, busy look, which is the opposite of what landscaping is all about. In this edition we will discuss what I consider a “must do” addition, night lighting. As with the other elements we have discussed, it can be added later, however it is more efficient to add it at the time of construction.

There are two schools of thought regarding lights. One is that the “effect” of the light should be seen, but not the fixture. Therefore those who subscribe to this philosophy purchase “light wells” that are inserted in the ground at specific points of interest. My view is that every “component” that goes into the landscape must be visible (not necessarily from all points) and add to the landscape in a positive way. I do not use anything that is simply neutral, it either adds to the overall theme or we do not use it, and lights are no different. One problem that I have seen, and been told by clients about the buried fixture method is that unless you keep leaves, groundcovers and debris off the lights the effect of the light can be diminished or covered, so there is some maintenance required. I have also seen some of the light canisters get squeezed/compressed by tree roots since they need to be placed close to the tree trunk if accenting the trunk is part of the design. So there are some problems with that method, but you are hearing one side right now, so keep that in mind. Even with “my method” there is the need to trim away low branches to keep the light “open.” The end result of both though is beautiful, the effects of proper lighting are simply gorgeous.

I love night-lights whether they are spotlights highlighting a tree, wall or fountain, or path lights leading your eye down a mysterious path (which in the day can just be to the gate, but at night it is a mysterious path). They are inviting, “super relaxing,” romantic, while giving you extra hours to enjoy your yard, barbecue, visit with friends, or just “hang out” as our kids say, especially as the evenings get warmer. There are two types of materials used for a quality light fixture: aluminum with a powdered coated finish (you can order your color) or brass. Both types “do the job” and provide light. It is a matter of placement that determines the light’s effectiveness, not their material. However, the powdered coated finish on the aluminum lights fade and start looking old after two or three years, which is a negative to me. I started with aluminum when I began installing lights, and put them in my yard. After a few years they faded, and so I began to look into other materials and that is when I found brass. The light itself is very attractive, classy, but the price tag for the fixtures made the installation expensive, and was often more than what could be afforded, especially after completing a landscape. In January and February we have trade shows (L.A and SAC.), so I made it a point to meet lighting manufacturers, visiting their booths to see what styles they had and at what price. In the process I found one company whose selection was varied enough to accommodate a variety of themes, at a price very competitive to aluminum. So I purchased my first set and installed them in my yard. After four years the brass is still attractive, it has “lightened” a bit in color where routine irrigation from my sprinklers hit them, but relatively unchanged in the drip (planter) beds. A note on brass, in its finished state it is shiny like gold, but most of the brass lights I see have been acid washed to get an aged look, making it darker, so the finished color is a rich bronze color.

Installing lights after the yard is completed is not hard to do, PROVIDED you remember to add sleeves (preferably 1 1/2” schedule 40, piping size of pvc) under the walks and patio. This enables you to run the low voltage wire without having to cut into the cement later. Installing the lights is not rocket science as we say, but there are “tricks” to it like any job, and every installer has his own tricks. Low voltage lighting (12 volts) has these components, regardless of the “tricks”. The transformer, which powers the lights, is sold in various watts (120, 200 are for small jobs, 300 on up are for 10 or more lights etc.). The bulb in the light fixture you select has a watt rating, most common are 20-watt bulbs. So if we use ten light fixtures, we need 200 watts. Therefore you need to buy a transformer that is 300 watts. A professional transformer is worth its weight in gold when it comes to achieving the “light landscaping” you desire, especially if there are more than five or six lights in the system. It is important also to consider the length of the wire and the amount of resistance over the length. So by keeping an “extra” 100 watts uncommitted you are leaving “power” to overcome the resistance. Also, after setting up your lights you may decide to add another one, so the extra watts allow for that as well. There is yet one extremely important component that really determines the success of the lights, and that is how the electricity is divided and distributed along the low voltage wire. There is the hub, T and the daisy chain method, and they all work depending upon the number of lights, and length of wire used, each installer has his preferred method. If the set up is wrong, your last few lights will be dimmer. I see this often as I am coming home in the evenings from appointments. The first lights are bright, and as I follow the light path the last three begin to dim until the last one is a dull yellow light. The set up is incorrect, the system is overloaded, and the wattage and distance were not divided over the whole system correctly. It is difficult to explain this aspect of it in writing, but it is a good reason to hire a qualified landscaper to install your lights, as well as to hard wire your lights.

Do not use the clips that non-professional lights come with because you lose voltage. Remember, we are only working with a 12-volt system, so we cannot afford to lose any in the connections. The last thing to consider is the correct positioning of the lights. To get dramatic lighting effects proper positioning is very important. There are at least five different positions we use when we install lights, and those too are secret…

On a side note for those of you who have Folsom, San Juan and Roseville water, go to their websites, they are giving rebates for installing water efficient systems, from smart timers to nozzles, to retrofitting planters from sprinklers to drip, etc. Take advantage of this, and remember though we received some decent rain (at the time of this writing, I do not know if we are above or below average), much of our water goes to LA, so conserving is always “in” especially if we have the local water districts helping us with rebates. Next month we will visit our vegetable gardens (hopefully), and do a review on October’s publication, Edible Landscapes. Now as always, thank you for reading and thank you for supporting Executive Care, it is nice to be appreciated within the community (please be patient as we get into our busy season, it’s just the three of us initially meeting everyone, me, myself and I, and we 3 work on a quality basis, not quantity) and as always, Good Gardening!

For more information on designing your perfect landscape contact Arthur Navarrette at Executive Care Landscape (916) 765-9040 or contact him at www.ExecutiveCareInc.com. Executive Care is a local full service maintenance and landscape company providing a wide array of services to the community.